Essex County Lake Quality
New Jersey, 5 lakes, measured by NJDEP
Essex County has 5 monitored lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters. 2 of those lakes carry recent nutrient and algae readings. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. Phosphorus and algae readings vary widely across Essex County; the per-lake pages below carry the numbers.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow, under 50 feet, which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Verona Lake has the lowest nutrient and algae readings in the county.
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Quick Answers for Essex County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Verona Lake — or check the official New Jersey fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Essex County
5 lakes · 2 ranked on readings, 3 without enough sampling2 lakes ranked on readings · 3 without enough sampling, hidden
| # | Lake | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Verona LakeEssex | 2.6 ft | 108.7 µg/L | 26.1 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 2 | Weequahic LakeEssex | 3.9 ft | 60 µg/L | 52.3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| Cedar Grove ReservoirEssex | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Commonwealth Water Company Reservoir Number ThreeEssex | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Orange ReservoirEssex | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 18 ft | Not recorded |
NR = no nutrient or algae reading on record. The measurements are published as the authority reports them. Where the data comes from.
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Source: the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. See data sources.